What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Adipate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Propylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Cera
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSuccinoglycan
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Iminodisuccinate
Galactoarabinan
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Glycerin, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Oryza Sativa Bran Cera, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Potassium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Decylene Glycol, Succinoglycan, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Galactoarabinan, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialVitis Vinifera Oil
Perfuming
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Butyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Vitis Vinifera Oil, Ethyl Macadamiate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Butyl Salicylate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Polysorbate 20, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Stearic Acid, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Ectoin, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCellulose Gum is a water-soluble polymer that comes from cellulose. It is used to change the texture of a product and to help stabilize emulsions.
As an emulsifier, cellulose gum specifically thicken the texture of water-based products.
This ingredient is considered hypoallergenic and non-toxic. Cellulose Gum can be found in cosmetics, food, and other household goods such as paper products.
Learn more about Cellulose GumGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinThis ingredient is a semi-solid mixture derived from palm oil triglycerides. It has emollient, emulsifying, and skin conditioning properties.
Due to the rich fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Microcrystalline Cellulose is another name for refined wood pulp. It is used as an emulsifier and mattifying ingredient. As an emulsifier, it helps keep ingredients together.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
